Not upheld: incorrect credit file reporting / missed payment marker complaint against National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6067703 of 2026-04-09T00:00:00+00:00. incorrect credit file reporting / missed payment marker complaint against National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company. Outcome: Not upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6067703 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-04-09T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company |
| Product | Credit card |
| Claim type | incorrect credit file reporting / missed payment marker |
| Outcome | Not upheld |
| Remedy | NatWest should pay Mr K a total of £250 compensation. £150 has already been paid; the additional £100 should be paid if not already done so. |
Summary
Mr K complained that NatWest incorrectly reported a missed payment on his credit card to credit reference agencies during his mortgage application, resulting in a lower credit score and forcing him to accept a more expensive mortgage product. NatWest admitted the error, failed to collect the August 2025 direct debit, and agreed to remove the missed payment marker from his credit file. The ombudsman found that while Mr K suffered some distress and inconvenience, NatWest responded promptly and took reasonable corrective steps, and Mr K could not prove quantifiable financial loss. The ombudsman upheld NatWest's offer of £250 total compensation as fair and reasonable in the circumstances.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman accepted that NatWest made an error and that Mr K suffered some distress and inconvenience. However, the ombudsman found that NatWest responded promptly to the complaint, provided written confirmation the marker would be removed, and correctly explained the six to eight week update timeframe for credit reference agencies. Since Mr K could not prove or quantify financial loss from the more expensive mortgage, and the distress was mitigated by NatWest's prompt response and assurance of resolution, the ombudsman concluded that £250 total compensation reasonably reflected the impact.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company, all decisions | 1,179 | 14% |
| Credit card, all decisions | 25,211 | 22% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website